I’ve found the best way to cool my car after nine months on the road – drivers need to avoid buying ‘swamp’ AC units

A DRIVER who sleeps in his car has revealed the best way to stay cool in the vehicle.

If you sleep in your car, staying cool in the summer can be much harder than staying warm in the winter.

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YouTuber Minimalist Mikee shared a list of things he recommends you not do and things that have worked well for him when it comes to staying cool in his car.

“There’s no way to avoid the summer heat or a heat wave, but find out what I’ve learned to stay cool while sleeping in the car most effectively,” he wrote in the caption of his YouTube video on the topic.

First and foremost, he says that you should never leave a car running all night to take advantage of the vehicle’s air conditioning.

Not only is it dangerous, but it’s also expensive because it uses gas and can put a lot of strain on your battery.

Additionally, it is illegal to leave a car idling when you are not behind the wheel – an offense known as “failure to secure a motor vehicle.”

Additionally, you are vulnerable to theft or serious injury if the vehicle accidentally shifts into gear and starts moving.

Speaking of theft, if you have the windows rolled down to stay cool, this can be a big risk.

Thieves could reach into your car, insects can make themselves at home, and depending on where you live, it just won’t work.

Mikee recommends parking in a shaded area and drinking plenty of water before bed.

One of his recommendations is ideal if you live in a drier environment, as opposed to the humidity Mikee is used to.

A portable battery can be charged using your car battery or solar panels – and you can use it to power a portable AC device.

However, according to Mikee, air conditioning may not be a good idea if your car is parked in a humid environment.

“Depending on where you live, don’t get portable air conditioners that use water,” he said of the so-called swamp coolers.

“Maybe they work well for the first hour or two, but by the end of the night it’s disgusting. You wake up all sticky and disgusting.”

He added: “For me it makes conditions worse in my area where it is humid. Don’t buy it if you are in an area where it is a bit humid.”

“You would wake up in a swamp.”

If you want to keep the windows down on cooler nights before summer sets in, you can purchase a mosquito net that fits over the window.

“Only do this when outside [outdoors] “It would be cooler than the inside of your car,” he said.

Mikee prefers portable, battery-powered fans that he hangs from the ceiling of his car.

“I told you that from the first video,” Mikee said.

“Portable fans are honestly the best thing you can do to stay cool in your car.”

In the comments section of his video, viewers shared their experiences trying to stay cool in their car.

“What I do when it’s so hot I can’t sleep is I run a body towel in super cold water (I would use the shower at the gym for this), take it off, and use it as a ‘blanket.'” one person wrote.

“The heat flows from your body into the towel on your skin. Of course, you may want to have a waterproof cover over your bed area to keep it from getting moldy, gross, etc. You might feel a little shaking at first, but it’s so relieving and effective.

Another person suggested using a Styrofoam cooler.

“A small Styrofoam cooler, a block of ice, and I put a fan on the ice and another on me,” they wrote.

“Cools the air throughout the car. Thin frozen cloth is also placed over the fan. Frozen cloth to keep pressure points cool. You can quickly cool down your armpits, neck, behind your ears and soles of your feet.”

And a final commenter shared that they prefer to keep things simple.

“I bought two good old fashioned water bottles that I fill with ice and water,” the viewer wrote.

“One for my neck and the other to store somewhere else while I sleep. Placing it near pulse points keeps me cool at night,” they said.

Mikee’s video has been viewed more than 112,000 times and received 280 comments.